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India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.

Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The winning rhythm established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - as well as head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Fades Quickly

The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition following the almost concurrent departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.

The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard showing in the two games against South Africa.

Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.

Concerning History

It was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which practically cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.

The recent defeat to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of making the decider of this season also.

From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. But the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.

Causes of the Fall

The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an exception.

Currently, the team seem easy pickings at home.

Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well overseas.

Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them in the past.

While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify why India's performances at home have seen such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

Many past stars point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.

Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.

This was obvious in the performances of the squad.

Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.

Leadership Under Fire

The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press